Republican senators are warming to the idea of a scaled-back plan that would delete the Affordable Care Act’s individual and employer mandates but leave the rest of law generally intact. But this approach has caused difficulties in the past.

Similar to the House-passed American Health Care Act, the Senate GOP health bill would change or eliminate more than a dozen taxes that were put in place to help pay for provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

An analysis of claims data from 60 health insurers found a significant increase in the amount of treatments sought by young people for conditions traditionally associated with older people, such as high blood pressure and sleep apnea.

Julie Appleby

Julie Appleby, Senior Correspondent, reports on the health law’s implementation, health care treatments and costs, trends in health insurance, and policy affecting hospitals and other medical providers. Her stories have appeared in USA TODAY, The Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inquirer, MSNBC and other media. Before joining KHN, Julie spent 10 years covering the health industry and policy at USA TODAY. She also worked at the San Francisco Chronicle, The Financial Times in London and the Contra Costa Times in Walnut Creek, California. She serves on the board of the Association of Health Care Journalists and has a Master of Public Health degree.